Governing mechanism for elastic fluid turbines



March 15, 11938., F. R. ERlcsoN Er A.

GOVERNING MECHANISM FOR ELASTIG FLUID TURBINES Y Filed Dec. 5, 1935 hvehtows:

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Patented Mar. 15, 1938 PATENT OFFICE ,GovERNING MEcHANisM Fon ELAsTlc I FLUID. TURBINES Franklin 'It-Ericson, Marblehead, andA Edgar D. Dickinson, Lynn, Mass., assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application December 5, 1935, .Serial No. 53,010

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to governing mechanisms for multi-stage elastic fluid -tur bines from` which elastic fluid is extracted from or conducted to several intermediate stages. In `the first case, where elastic fluid is extracted at diiferent pressures from several stages, the turbine-is said to operate as a multi-extraction turbine and in the second case, Where elastic fluid is supplied to `several intermediateV stages, the turbine may be said to operate as a multi-mixedpressure turbine. It is often required to main- .tainmconstant the elastic fluid pressurein'those stages from which elastic fluid is extracted or to Which elastic fluid is `conducted `'from lan external source. Thus, in a turbine which `has two extraction stages it may `be required to maintain the pressures in these stages constant under varying now conditions in the extraction conduits, that is7 during VaryingdemandOr extraction fluid. In addition to this requirement, it is-` often desirable to maintain -constant load during variations in demand for extraction steam and, vice versa, to maintain the extraction pressure or like condition of the extracted fluid-con stant-during changes in demand for mechanical `load output.

Our invention relates primarilyto governing .mechanisms forlturbines having at least two intermediate stages to which fluid issuppled under varying pressure fromlanrexternal source `or from `Which fluid is extracted underdifferent pressures to be used for processing purposes `or the like.

The objectofiour inventioniswto provide for the kind` of, turbines justfs-pecied agoverning mechanism `.whereby lthe flovv` of elastic iluid throughtheturbine may be controlled so as to maintain constant a condition suchas the-pressure .of the elastic fluid at several intermediate stages during varying mechanical load condiftions, andalso to maintainconstant a condition of `the fluidatfseveral intermediate stages dur.- ing varying-flowof elastic fluid `to-rV froml such intermediatestages .under constant load conditions. Ihis is accomplished `by our invention `,by the.provision of -.a 4.multipla .three-arm lever mechanism comprisingral; plurality of interconnected pressure. and-load-responsvedevices. `'The mechanical load output ,controlis effected by the load responsive device such as a speed governor andthe .control .of elastic yfluid vpressure at several stages is .effected bylpressure responsive devices. By three-arm levers We `means levers having three arms .securely `.fastened vtogether or in- .tesrally .united to formacom'mon tir-.star point.

Such three-arm levers are moved in parallel in response tol-changes in mechanical load output and` they are turned in response to changes `in elastic -fluid conditions in a conduit or conduits connected to intermediate stages.

l For a full understanding of what We believe to be novel ,and our invention, attention `is directed `to the following description and the claims appended thereto in connection with the accompanying drawing.

' The single figure of the drawing illustrates a governing mechanism embodying our invention in connection-With a multi-extraction turbine arrangement.

The governing mechanism is shown diagrammatically Without the provisions of hydraulic motorsand `pilot valves. The elastic fluid multi- `stageextraction turbine arrangement is shown in theV form of a single turbine having a casing IU and-forming a succession of intermediate stages Il I, I2, Ilfconnected in series as regards the flow ofY fluidltherethrough and from which elastic fluid is extracted through conduits I4, I and Iii respectively. The turbine has an inlet conduit I'I including a valve I8 for controlling the flow of elasticfluid supplied to the turbine. The flow of elastic fluid from intermediate stages to the succeeding stages is controlled by valves I9, 2t .andl 2 I. In the present instance these valves have been indicated as being of the disk type but it is .Y `understood that any other known type of interstage valve may be used. The governing mechanism` according to our-invention serves to control the inlet valve and the interstage valves so as to maintain constant the mechanical load output iti-response to changes of a condition of the elastic iluidextracted from any of the intermediate stages and also to maintain constant the condition of the vfluid extracted lfrom the several in- .termediatestages during changes in demand for mechanical load output. In thepresent instance the `governing mechanism serves more specifically to maintain constant the pressure in the extraction stages during changes in demand for extraction fluid from any of the stages and during changes in demand for mechanical load output.

Thus, in a specific arrangement, the governing mechanism may maintain constant pressures of G.,Y 300 and 100 lbs. in the intermediate stages II, I2 and I3 respectively during changes in demand for extraction uid and mechanical load output.

' The governing mechanism more in detail includes three three-arm levers, a first three-arm lever22, a second three-arm lever 23 and a third three-arm lever 24. The three-arm levers 22, 23 and 24 are in fioating arrangement. Another lever 25 with three arms is not a three-arm lever in the above meaning because it is pivotally supported on a fulcrum 26. Each three-arm lever, as will be readily noted, has a first or left-hand arm, a second or right-hand arm and a third, vertical, or upright arm. The first three-arm lever 22 is connected by a link 21 to a centrifugal speed governor or load responsive device 28. The

left-hand arm of the three-arm lever 22 is connected by a link 29 to an intermediate point of a fioating lever 30. The right-hand arm of the three-arm lever 22 is connected by another link 29a` to the second three-arm lever 23. The lefthand arm of the fioating lever 30 is pivoted to one arm of a bell-crank lever 3| supported on a fulcrum 32. The other arm of the bell-crank 1ever 3| is pivoted to the left-hand end of a lever 33. The right-hand end of the fioating lever 38 is connected to another fioating lever 34 which has an intermediate point pivotally secured to the inlet valve I8. The right-hand end of the lever 34 is connected by a link 35 to the left-hand arm of the fourth three-arm lever 25. The upright arm of the latter is pivotally connected by a link 36 to the upright arm of the second threearm lever 23. The right-hand arm of the threearm lever 25 is connected to the diaphragm of a pressure-responsive device 31. The left-hand arm of the second three-arm lever 23 is connected by a link 38 to a floating lever 39 having a righthand end pivotally secured to the valve I9 and a left-hand end pivotally connected to one arm of a bell-crank lever 48 which is supported on a fulcrum 4| and has another arm 42 pivotally connected to the aforementioned lever 33. The right-hand arm of the three-arm lever 23 is connected by a link 43 to the lever 24. The upright arm of the latter forms a fork 44 engaging a pin 45 secured to the lever 33. The left-hand arm of the three-arm lever 24 is connected to the valve 20 and the right-hand arm thereof is connected to the valve 2|.

The arrangement includes a pressure-responsive device for each extraction stage. The aforementioned pressure-responsive device 31 is connected by a pipe 46 to the second intermediate or extraction stage I2. The first extraction stage I I is connected by a pipe 4'I to a pressure-responsive device 48 which in turn is connected to the upright arm of the first three-arm lever 22. The third extraction stage I3 is connected by a pipe 49 to a pressure-responsive device 50 which acts on a lever 5| having a lower end supported on a fulcrum 52 and an upper end pivotally connected to the right-hand end of the lever 33. The three pressure-responsive devices are similar and known in the art. Each device includes a casing with a diaphragm 53 as indicated with respect to the device 48. The diaphragm partitions the interior of the casing into two halves or spaces. One of said spaces is connected by the pipe 41 to the intermediate stage I|. A stem or link 54 is secured at one end to the diaphragm and at the other end to the element through which movement of the diaphragm is to be transmitted in the present instance to the three-arm lever 22. The elastic fiuid pressure to which the diaphragm is subjected during operation is balanced by compression spring means 55, in the present instance provided within the casing and external thereof.

During operation the following conditions may occur: a change in pressure in either of the three extraction stages, due to a change in demand for extraction elastic fluid from such stages, a change in turbine speed due to a change in the demand for mechanical load output and any combination of these changes. The operation of the mechanism is the same whether a change takes place in one direction or the other, that is, whether the pressure and speed increase or f decrease except that the elements actuated under such conditions move in opposite directions. The movements of the different elements under these different conditions have been indicated by arrows in the drawing with respect to increases in pressure and increases in turbine speed. Thus, the arrows S indicate the movements of the various elements in response to an increase in speed and the arrows I, II, III indicate the movements of the various elements in response to increases in pressure in the first, second and third extraction stage respectively.

Thus, an increase in speed, due to a decrease in demand for mechanical load output, causes downward movement of the three-arm lever 22, as indicated by arrows S adjacent the links 29 and 29a. Downward movement of the link 29 effects'downward turning movement of the levers 3U and 34 whereby the valve I8 is moved towards closing position, as indicated by arrow S adjacent the valve stem. The lever 30 during its downward movement turns about its lefthand pivot and the lever 34 under such condition turns about its right-hand pivot. Downward movement of the link 29a effects downward movement of the second three-arm lever 23, as indicated by arrows S adjacent the links 38 and 43. Downward movement of the link 38 effects downward turning movement of the lever 39 about its left-hand end whereby the valve I9 is moved towards its closing position, as indicated by an arrow S adjacent the valve stem. Downward movement of the link 43 causes downward movement of the third three-arm lever 24, effecting simultaneous closing movement of the valves 20 and 2|, as indicated by the arrows S adjacent the valve stems. During downward movement of the three-arm lever 24 the fork 44 slides along the pin 45 without effecting any movement of the connecting rod 33.

Thus, an increase in speed, due to a decrease in demand for mechanical load output, causes closing of all the valves I8, I9, 20 and 2|. This closing movement effects a reduction in fiow of elastic fluid through the turbine and thereby reduces the mechanical load output. Closing movement of the valve I8 alone would ordinarily cause a decrease in pressure in the first extraction stage I I, thus disturbing the condition of the elastic fiuid in the first extraction conduit I4. Such disturbance, however, is prevented and the pressure is maintained constant by the closing movement of the valve I9. This also applies to the other extraction stages. Thus, by properly proportioning the valve sizes, the pressure in all of the extraction stages is maintained constant during changes in mechanical load output.

If the pressure in the first extraction stage increases, due to a decrease in demand for extraction fluid from the first stage, the governing mechanism as indicated by arrows causes closing of the turbine inlet valve and opening of the interstage valves I9, 20 and 2|, thereby satisfying the demand for elastic fiuid from the rst intermediate stage without changing the elastic fiuid conditions in the other intermediate stages I2 and I3 and also Without changing the mechanical load output.

If the pressure in the last intermediate stage increases, the governing mechanism causes closing of the inlet valve,. the iirst and the second interstage valves I9 and 20, and opening of the valve 2| of the last extraction stage i3.

Generally it may be said that if in a system which includes n extraction stages an increase in pressure takes place in the stage '1i-m, a governing mechanism according to our invention will effect closing of the inlet valve, the rst extraction stage valve to the n--mth extraction stage valve and opening of the n mih-i-l extraction stage valve, to the nth extraction stage valve. Thus, in a system which includes seven extraction stages, an increase in pressure in the fth extraction stage will cause closing of the turbine inlet valve, the first, second, third, fourth and fifth extraction stage valves, and opening of the sixth and seventh extraction stage valves. During an increase in speed, due to a decrease in demand for mechanical load output, all the valves are closed and during a decrease in speed, all valves are opened. Similarly, during a decrease in pressure in one of the extraction stages, all of the valves are moved in opposite directions as pointed out above.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent in the United States is:

1. A governing mechanism for multi-stage extraction and multi-stage mixed pressure turbine arrangements for controlling such turbine arrangements both in response to changes in demand for mechanical load output and changes in demand for extraction uid, said governing mechanism including a number (n) of floating three-arm levers equal to the number of extraction stages, the first lever having a rst arm for connection to a turbine inlet valve, the second lever having a rst arm for connection to a rst intermediate stage control valve, the nih lever having a rst arm for connection to a (n-Dth intermediate stage control valve, the first lever having a second arm connected to the common point of the second lever, the second lever having a second arm connected to the common point of the third lever, a pressure responsive device for connection to a rst intermediate stage and connected to the third arm of the first lever, a second pressure responsive device for connection to a second intermediate stage being connected to the third arm of the second lever, a third pressure responsive device for connection to a third intermediate stage being connected to the third arm of the last lever, and a speed-responsive device for connection to the turbine shaft being connected to the common point of the rst lever.

2. A governing mechanism for multi-stage extraction and multi-stage mixed pressure turbine arrangements including the combination of a rst three-arm lever having a first arm for connection to a turbine inlet valve, a speed governor connected to the common point of said first three-arm lever, a pressure responsive device for connection to a rst intermediate stage being connected to the third arm, a second three-arm lever having a common point connected to the second arm of the first three-arm lever, means for connecting the first arm of the second threearm lever to a rst inter-stage valve, a second pressure responsive device for connection to a second intermediate turbine stage being connected to the third arm of the second three-arm lever, a third three-arm lever having a common point connected to the second arm of the second three-arm lever, a pressure responsive device for connection to a third inter-stage valve being connected to the third arm of the third threearm lever, and means for connecting the iirst and the second arm of the third three-arm lever to a second and a third inter-stage valve.

FRANKLIN R. ERICSON. EDGAR D. DICKINSON. 

